Top 55 TV Programs for Jan. 17-23, 2010

    Sunday’s
Oklahoman, which includes TV Week, hits the newsstands in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday afternoon. And it arrives at the doorstep (or hopefully nearby) early Sunday morning.
   But for those who can’t wait to begin planning the upcoming week around the best TV has to offer, here is a sneak peek at programs worth watching the week of Jan. 17:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)

SUNDAY, JAN. 17, 2010
◊“24″ (8 p.m. on Fox): In the Season 8 premiere airing over two consecutive nights, Jack Bauer finds himself drawn back into the adrenalized action after he learns of a plot to assassinate a prominent Middle East peacekeeper. Joining the cast this season are Katee Sackhoff (“Battlestar Galactica”), Freddie Prinze Jr. (“Freddie”), Mykelti Williamson (“Boomtown”), John Boyd (“Lady in the Water”), Jennifer Westfeldt (“Notes from the Underbelly”) and Chris Diamantopoulos (“The Starter Wife”).
◊“The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards” (7 p.m. on NBC): The Hollywood Foreign Press Association honors achievement in film and television from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., with Emmy winner Ricky Gervais (“The Office”) hosting the alcohol-fueled ceremonies. Mavis Spencer, daughter of Oklahoma actress Alfre Woodard, helps hand out awards as Miss Golden Globe.
◊“Aziz Ansari: Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening” (9 p.m. on Comedy Central): Filmed in front of a packed house at the Brentwood Theater in Los Angeles, comedian and actor Aziz Ansari (“Parks and Recreation”) discusses topics ranging from sheets with fraudulent thread counts to the chubbiness of his young cousin, Harris.
◊“Brothers & Sisters” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): Kitty’s friend Buffy (Cheryl Hines, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) steps in where she doesn’t belong, pushing Kitty and Robert to another impasse over politics.
◊“Cold Case” (8 p.m. on CBS): After a private investigator’s remains are found buried in the cement foundation of a demolished building, Lilly and her team reopen the man’s 1974 murder case and discover the investigator had uncovered several unsavory things for his last few clients. Richard Moll (“Night Court”) and Matthew Willig (former NFL player) guest star.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): Celebrity volunteer Xzibit travels with Ty Pennington and the team to Suffield, Conn., to rebuild the small, fire-damaged and deteriorating home of the musical Hill family, who give the gifts of song and inspiration to their community.
◊“Freakiest Festivals” (8 p.m. on FLN): Host Adam Gertier is on a quest to take on America’s most bizarre and extreme festivals and events — from a cook-off in West Virginia where contestants use road kill as the main ingredient to a Colorado coffin race.
◊“Human Target” (7 p.m. on Fox): Adapted from a DC Comics book and graphic novel, this new action series follows Christopher Chance (Mark Valley, “Boston Legal”), a unique private security guard who saves his clients’ lives even if it means turning himself into a human target. Assisting him are Chance’s business partner, Winston (Chi McBride, “Pushing Daisies”), and hired gun Guerrero (Jackie Earle Haley, “Watchmen”).
◊“Iron Chef America” (8 p.m. on Food Network): Chef Jose Garces, the winner of “The Next Iron Chef,” represents the Chairman in Kitchen Stadium for his first battle as an Iron Chef.
◊“Live at the Golden Globes With Carrie Ann & Chris” (5 p.m. on TV Guide Network): Carrie Ann Inaba (“Dancing With the Stars”) and Chris Harrison (“The Bachelor”) co-host the red carpet event that will feature interviews with nominees attending the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards.
◊“Why Planes Crash: Breaking Point” (9 p.m. on MSNBC): This special hosted by NBC News’ Lester Holt explores the terrifying consequences of plane crashes resulting from structural failure. It features dramatic animations that put viewers right next to passengers facing life or death situations — from an engine loss that caused the deadliest single airplane crash on U.S. soil to a decompression powerful enough to suck a flight attendant out of a plane.
◊“The Wronged Man” (7 p.m. on Lifetime Movie Network): Julia Ormond (“Legends of the Fall”) stars in the true story of Janet “Prissy” Gregory’s 22-year quest to overturn the sentence of wrongfully accused Calvin Willis (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, “The 4400”).

MONDAY, JAN. 18, 2010
◊“Accidentally on Purpose” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): While working on a story with Sully, Billie gets some surprising news about the newspaper.  Meanwhile, Zack and Davis go into the sandwich business together. Executive producer Claudia Lonow’s brother, Michael Rapaport (“My Name is Earl”) returns as Sully, a sports reporter.
◊“American Character Along Highway 50″ (7 p.m. on USA Network): This special follows journalist Tom Brokaw as he travels across Highway 50 documenting the lives of Americans along the transcontinental road that connects the Pacific to the Atlantic. Brokaw captures the stories of real people and explores how their lives are being impacted economically, politically and culturally during these extraordinary times.
◊“American Pickers” (8 p.m. on History): This new series follows the adventures of Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, business partners of Antique Archaeology based in Iowa, who are professional “pickers” trolling America’s small towns to salvage rare collectibles and good junk from regular folks. They get their hands dirty in search of weird and wonderful Americana.
◊“Be Good Johnny Weir” (9:30 p.m. on Sundance): This new eight-part documentary series explores the life of one of America’s most outspoken and colorful sports figures, three-time U.S. National Figure Skating Champion and World Medalist Johnny Weir. He is as comfortable walking in a downtown New York fashion show as he is on the ice, and he is known for giving candid, irreverent, responses at press events.
◊“Beyond Wise Guys” (7 p.m. on Documentary Channel): Narrated by Paul Borghese (“Julie & Julia”) and executive produced by John Turturro (“The Bronx Is Burning”), this documentary shows how Italian-Americans transformed themselves from outsiders, stereotyped by the Hollywood establishment as mobsters, into industry insiders. Featured are interviews with well-known contemporary Italian-American filmmakers who used their heritage to positively shape the art and craft of American cinema.
◊“Big Time Rush” (7:30 p.m. on Nickelodeon): Four fun-loving best friends from Minnesota trade in hockey practice for vocal lessons in this new musical comedy series that chronicles the making of a music group. They move from Minneapolis to Hollywood after being discovered by an eccentric record executive during a nationwide casting call for a new boy band. But the boys quickly realize they have a very short window to prove to themselves that they are serious about their new career choice. 
◊“The Buried Life” (9 p.m. on MTV): This new documentary series follows Duncan, Ben, Jonnie and Dave, who travel across the country in their purple bus named Penelope in an attempt to cross off items on their list of “100 things to do before they die.” The guys make a promise that for each item they cross off their list, they will help a perfect stranger accomplish one of their goals.
◊“Chuck” (7 p.m. on NBC): When Awesome is mistaken for a super spy by the evil Sydney Price (Angie Harmon, “Law & Order”), Chuck must become his handler and show him the spy ropes.
◊“Fashion Police: The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards” (9 p.m. on E!): Host Joan Rivers will be joined by popular outspoken personalities Khloe Kardashian Odom, Giuliana Rancic and Jay Manuel to assess the fashion choices of Hollywood’s stars attending the event. They will debate over who deserves the titles of fashion’s biggest winners and losers.
◊“Heroes” (8 p.m. on NBC): Hiro’s life hangs in the balance as his brain tumor worsens, prompting him to subconsciously deal with some of his past decisions. George Takei (“Star Trek”) and David Anders (“Alias”) guest star.
◊“Obama’s America: 2010 and Beyond” (9 p.m. on MSNBC): Moderated by Chris Matthews (“Hardball”) and featuring radio host Tom Joyner, this two-hour special airing live from Texas Southern University in Houston will explore some of the most pressing and provocative issues connected to race and race relations in the U.S.
◊“How I Met Your Mother” (7 p.m. on CBS): Marshall insists that his attractibe co-worker, Jenkins (Amanda Peet, 2012), tell Lily what really happened after Lily won’t believe that Jenkins kissed him. Series star Neil Patrick Harris (Barney Stinson) directed this episode.
◊“I’m in the Band” (6 p.m. on Disney XD): This new music-filled comedy series follows a teenager who realizes his wildest dream when he joins his favorite rock band, Iron Weasel.
◊“Improv-Ice” (5 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): Hosted by Olympic champions Brian Boitano and Kristi Yamaguchi, the live audience helps give an assist in picking the most innovative routines for the skaters to perform backed by the live music of the rock band the Goo Goo Dolls. Skating champions Sasha Cohen, Nancy Kerrigan, Kurt Browning, Evan Lysacek are among the performers.
◊“Life UneXpected” (8 p.m. on CW): This new series stars Brittany Robertson as Lux, an Oregon teenager who, after bouncing around from one foster home to another, decides to become an emancipated minor. Her quest reunites her with her biological father (Kristoffer Polaha), a bar owner who didn’t even know she existed, and her birth mother (Shiri Appleby), a local radio star.
◊“The Suite Life on Deck” (5:30 p.m. on Disney XD): Mr. Moseby forbids football on the Sky Deck so the students decide to play fantasy football instead. Cody enlists Kirby to teach him about football, and London unveils her secret weapon – Arizona Cardinals Quarterback Kurt Warner.
◊“Two and a Half Men” (8 p.m. on CBS): Charlie endures a colonoscopy to get out of a trip to see Chelsea’s bigoted parents, only to return home and find them in his living room. Stacy Keach (“Titus”) guest stars as Chelsea’s father.

TUESDAY, JAN. 19, 2010
◊“American Idol” (7 p.m. on Fox): Guest judge Shania Twain (Grammy winner) helps Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi critique the talent at the Chicago auditions.
◊“The Biggest Loser” (7 p.m. on NBC): Host Alison Sweeney surprises the contestants with the news that this will be student/teacher week, in which the contestants on each team assume the role of either teacher or student. The teachers get to work out with the trainers and then have to teach the students what they learned.
◊“Love That Girl!” (8 p.m. on TV One): This new black sitcom stars Tatyana Ali (“Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”) as a young divorcee who returns home to southern California for a second chance in life and a career in her father’s real estate business. The four-episode series executive produced by Martin Lawrence (“Martin”) opens with back-to-back episodes and airs over three consecutive nights.
◊“The Millionaire Matchmaker” (9 p.m. on Bravo): In Season 3, matchmaker Patti Stanger and her staff once again give their big-bucks clients complete transformations with the help of personal shoppers, date coaches and therapists. In each episode, two wealthy clients are set up on dates hand-picked by Stanger based upon their beauty and intelligence.
◊“Nova” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): An international team of archeologists, architects and engineers is racing against time to save the Sphinx from erosion.
◊“Paranormal Cops” (9:30 p.m. on A&E): This new series follows a group of Chicago-area police officers who apply their forensic and investigative expertise to paranormal casework. Responding to the pleas of people who are victimized by distressing and inexplicable activities in their homes and workplaces, these cops bring their no-nonsense approach to hunting ghosts and real-life police skills to separate the fact from fiction.
◊“Sesame Street” (9 a.m. on OETA-13): Julianna Margulies (“The Good Wife”) helps Big Bird when he hurts his wing. Matthew Fox (“Lost”) presents the “Word on the Street”: “Bone.”
◊“White Collar” (9 p.m. on USA Network): The winter premiere begins where the fall season cliffhanger left off with the tables turned between Neal and Peter. After going deep into the underworld of corrupt Wall Street brokers, the question remains as to whose side Peter is on.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20, 2010
◊“American Idol” (7 p.m. on Fox): Guest judge Kristin Chenoweth (“Pushing Daisies”) helps Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi critique the talent at the Orlando auditions.
◊“Being Erica” (9 p.m. on SoapNet): In Season 2, Erica is more experienced in the ways of time travel and therapy. As she continues to move forward in her journey, she will come to understand that changing her life isn’t a quick fix. It involves facing an ever-expanding series of challenges.
◊“Human Spark” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Host Alan Alda gets a highly detailed scan of his brain, which for a man in his early 70s in in remarkably good shape. He learns that the human ability to imagine fires most fiercely when we are doing nothing at all.
◊“Human Target” (8 p.m. on Fox): Chance and Winston encounter some severe turbulance when they work together to protect a client they have never met from an assassin aboard a passenger plane. Courtney Ford (“Dexter”) and Alessandro Juliani (“Battlestar Galactica”) guest star.
◊“Mantracker” (9 p.m. on Science Channel): The chase continues with Season 2 of this adventure series that challenges the wits and wills of weekend warriors in an intense game of cat and mouse played out in the rough countryside. Each episode, two new competitors have a day and a half to reach a finish line that is 22 miles away without getting caught by the “Mantracker, a veteran outdoorsman trained in tracking and retrieving missing persons in the deep wilderness.
◊“Meteorite Men” (8 p.m. on Science Channel): This new series follows Geoff Notkin and Steve Arnold, who build and keep secret maps of locations where they believe meteorites have fallen. Armed with an assortment of high-tech equipment, they search these secret locations combating rugged terrain and challenging weather conditions in their pursuit of scientific treasures.
◊“Modern Family” (8 p.m. on ABC): Mitchell plants the seed in Jay’s head that he thinks one of Jay’s old buddies, Shorty (Chazz Palminteri, “Analyze This”), might be secretly gay. Jay doesn’t believe it, although he now keeps noticing all the questionable signs.
◊“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): Christine’s promising romance with therapist boyfriend Max (Eric McCormack, “Will & Grace”) threatens to be derailed by old flame Mr. Harris (Blair Underwood, “Dirty Sexy Money”).
◊“Spectacle: Elvis Costello With Bruce Springsteen” (9 p.m. on Sundance): Host Elvis Costello sits down with Bruce Springsteen for a special two-part episode that concludes Jan. 27. With his guitar in hand, Springsteen opens up about his pre-E Street Band bands, his early and current inspirations and the resurgence of New Jersey. E Street Band members Nils Lofgren and Roy Bittan also sit in for a couple of songs.

THURSDAY, JAN. 21, 2010
◊“30 Rock” (8:30 p.m. on NBC): When Liz Lemon decides to take the show on the road to cure a case of the winter blues for the staff, the anticipated trip doesn’t exactly go as planned. Julianne Moore (“Blindness”) guest stars.
◊“Bones” (7 p.m. on Fox): Mr. White (Richard T. Jones, “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) and his team of government agents put the Jeffersonian Lab on lock down and demand that Brennan and her forensics team determine a cause of death for an unidentified, but highly classified set of remains. Meanwhile, Booth’s boss, Andrew Hacker (Diedrich Bader, “The Drew Carey Show”), helps him break into the lab and determine the motive behind the mystery investigation.
◊“Burn Notice” (9 p.m. on USA Network): Michael, a blacklisted spy who finds himself stranded on Miami, takes on a violent con man in the winter premiere. Guest star Sharon Gless reunites with her “Cagney & Lacey” partner Tyne Daly, who plays Michael’s mother on the series.
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): The CSI team explores the outwardly sedate world of professional golf after the body of a legendary player is discovered during a major tournament. Pro golfers Rocco Mediate, Gary McCord, Duffy Waldorf and Natalie Gulbis guest star as themselves.
◊“The Deep End” (7 p.m. on ABC): Leah Pipes (“Sorority Row”), Tina Majorino (“Big Love”), Matt Long (“Jack and Bobby”), Ben Lawon (“Neighbours”) and Mehcad Brooks (“True Blood”) star in this new drama that follows the tragedies and triumphs of five earnest twenty-something first-year associates fighting to stay afloat in one of Los Angeles’ top law firms.
◊“Food Tech” (8 p.m. on History): In this new series, food industry veteran Bobby Bognar criss-crosses the nation in search of the origins and production secrets behind the foods we love. In the premiere episode, he unearths the hidden mysteries in a cheeseburger and fries, including how they get the sesame seeds to stick to the bun and what it takes to stuff 20 tomatoes inside a ketchup bottle.
◊“Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m. on ABC): After learning of Richard’s drinking problem, Derek confronts him for the sake of his friend and the hospital. Kim Raver (“Lipstick Jungle”) guest stars.
◊“Live From Lincoln Center” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installment “Joshua Bell With Rriends @ the Penthouse” features the celebrated violinist performing with friends in the Kaplan Penthouse. His musical friends include Oklahoma native Kristin Chenoweth, Marvin Hamlisch and Frankie Moreno.
◊“The Mentalist” (9 p.m. on CBS): Jane and the team investigate the murder of the mayor’s aide. Sharon Lawrence (“NYPD Blue”) guest stars as Mayor Melba Walker Shannon.
◊“Sesame Street” (9 a.m. on OETA-13): Rocco Fiorentino (blind, sixth-grade jazz singer) stops by for some fun. Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) presents the “Word on the Street”: “Miniature.”
◊“Vampire Diaries” (7 p.m. on CW): Damon takes a trip to Georgia, where he surprises an old flame (Gina Torres, “Eli Stone”) and enlists her help to figure out how to open the tomb.  In the process, Damon comes face to face with someone who is determined to make him pay for past wrongs.

FRIDAY, JAN. 22, 2010
◊“Caprica” (8 p.m. on Syfy): This new series follows two rival families and their patriarchs – Daniel Graystone (Eric Stoltz) and Joseph Adama (Esai Morales) – as they compete and thrive in the realm of the 12 Colonies. It will feature the passion, intrigue, political backbiting and family conflict in an omnipotent society that is at the height of its glory and on the brink of its fall.
◊“Dollhouse” (8 p.m. on Fox): Set in the year 2020, Echo and her surviving Dollhouse crew attempt to restore order to a devastating future world before mankind is eliminated in “Epitaph 2: The Return,” the series finale episode.
◊“Man Caves” (7:30 p.m. on DIY): In this two-and-a-half marathon, viewers get an insider’s look at the man caves of some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.
◊“Medium” (8 p.m. on CBS): Allison dreams of a schizophrenic child, who she later meets as the well-adjusted roommate of a missing psychiatric patient, and questions whether she was responsible for killing her own parents.  Danielle Panabaker (“Shark”) guest stars as Summer Lowry, the schizophrenic young girl from Allison’s dreams.
◊“Spartacus: Blood and Sand” (9 p.m. on Starz): Australian actor Andy Whitfield stars as the gladiator warrior Spartacus in this new series. Lucy Lawless (“Xena: Warrior Princess”) plays Lucretia, who along with her husband, Batiatus, own the Ludus gladiator camp. They bought Spartacus hoping his fighting prowess will help them regain their status in the brutal world of gladiatorial contests.
◊“Supernanny” (7 p.m. on ABC): This special episode features the world’s first Super-Manny, Mike Ruggles, a Chicago native with more than 17 years of experience as a teacher and developmental therapist for children. But he faces his biggest challenge with a chaotic family of six from Colorado.
◊“Shark Tank” (8 p.m. on ABC): Things percolate between the Sharks and a husband and wife team from Santa Monica after Kevin O’Leary mocks their poorly executed business pitch about providing legal services at a coffee house. Another coffee-oriented pitch finds a man who has created a way to determine if a cup of Joe does or doesn’t contain caffeine.
◊“Wizards of Waverly Place” (7 p.m. on Disney): This special hourlong episode features guest stars Gregg Sulkin (Disney Channel UK’s “As The Bell Rings”) and Bridgit Mendler (“Good Luck Charlie”) reprising their roles as Alex’s new boyfriend, Mason, and Justin’s vampire girlfriend Juliet Van Heusen, who recently disappeared after being turned into a mummy’s minion.

SATURDAY, JAN. 23, 2010
◊“The 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards” (7 p.m. on TNT and TBS): Actors honor their peers in the annual ceremony, which will air live from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center. Betty White will receive the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment.
◊“Arj Barker: LYAO” (11 p.m. on Comedy Central): This new stand-up special brings the “Flight of the Conchords” star to the stage to poke fun at controversial topics ranging from global warming to losing Pluto as a planet.
◊“Artie Lange: Jack and Coke” (10 p.m. on Comedy Central): This special brings Artie Lange’s uncensored observations and incredible knack for funny storytelling to the stage. He talks about his competition with Heath Ledger and the opening monologue he’d do if he were ever asked to host the Oscars.
◊“Live at the Screen Actors Guild Awards With Carrie Ann & Chris” (5 p.m. on TV Guide Network): Carrie Ann Inaba (“Dancing With the Stars”) and Chris Harrison (“The Bachelor”) co-host the red carpet event that will feature interviews with nominees attending the 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.
◊“Mexican Made Easy” (8:30 a.m. on Food Network): In this new series, professional chef and cookbook author Marcela Valladolid prepares a fresh take on Mexican food and shares simple and authentic recipes with viewers.
◊“The Screen Actors Guild Awards Red Carpet Show” (6:30 p.m. on TNT): People Magazines deputy managing editor Peter Castro and entertainment reporter Thea Andrews co-host this live pre-show telecast. They will interview this year’s nominees, past recipients and presenters as they walk down the red carpet on their way into the prestigious ceremony.  Also on hand to report on the hottest red carpet styles and trends will be People StyleWatch correspondent Lori Bergamotto. 

–Penny TV

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